Redskins like their new digs

It didn't take long for the Lady Redskins to get comfortable in their new home stadium.

After a year-long wait, the Belding softball team played its first true home game Wednesday night and used a seven-run fifth inning to top the Panthers of Comstock Park 9-3.

Last season, and the first few home games of the 2013 schedule, the Redskins played their home games at Demorest Field.

"We were able to get our bats going early on and to score in the first inning was huge for us," Belding coach Mikayla Linebaugh said. "To get up early was good and then we had that big inning where things just started to happen.

"We did a good job running the bases and we kind of made them make some plays for us. (Comstock Park) is a good team. They have a nice pitcher and are well coached, but our kids came to play. They were excited to play their first game on the new field and getting the win just makes it better."

Belding held a slim 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Rachel Hunt led off the home frame with a single, then advanced to third on a bunt by Hannah Linebaugh. Both would later score to spark the Redskin's big inning.

In the top of the sixth, the Redskins allowed the Panthers to score a pair of runs on throwing errors, but were able to regroup to keep the visitors from having their own big inning.

"We had a little bit of a blip where we were throwing the ball around, but we just told the kids to calm down because all we needed was outs," Mikayla Linebaugh said. "It wasn't a situation where we were only up one or two runs."

Caitlin Alkire earned the win in the pitcher's circle, giving up one earned run on four hits while walking three and striking out four in seven innings of work.

Greta Wilker went 2-3 at the plate, while Brooke Linebaugh went 1-3 with three RBIs. Hannah Linebaugh went 1-2 with a sacrifice bunt and two RBIs, Ryann Rich went 1-4 with two RBIs, Alkire went 1-2 with a RBI and Autumn Thome went 1-3 and drove in a run.

Mariah Heintzelman also picked up a hit.

The Redskins (4-0, 3-0 in O-K Blue) and Panthers are scheduled to play again today at Comstock Park, weather permitting.

Due to so many canceled and postponed contests, the Ottawa-Kent Blue Conference schedule has been trimmed. Instead of playing three games versus each division opponent, the teams will play each other twice in the form of a home-and-home series.

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